


It's My Fault, but Please Smile Again

by SecretlyIrish



Category: Miraculous Ladybug, Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types
Genre: AU, And Percy blames himself, Bianca is still dead, But it's a slow build, Implied Past Child Abuse, Largely Pernico, M/M, Miraculous Ladybug AU, Nico has tattoos btw, Nico is sad, Percabeth is only at the beginning, Percy has guilt, Percy is Ladybug, Slow Burn, guilty pleasure ship, reyna and annabeth become a thing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-12
Updated: 2017-08-05
Packaged: 2018-12-01 09:04:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 7,161
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11483097
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SecretlyIrish/pseuds/SecretlyIrish
Summary: Percy's first day as Ladybug was a disaster. He'd failed to protect Bianca, and now he lives with Nico— who doesn't know Percy's guilt. Percy himself just wants to fix what he broke.





	1. What did one wave say to the other? Nice to SEA you again!

**Author's Note:**

> I know, I know. Pernico isn't ever going to be canon, I know Solangelo is cute, but I still guiltily ship it. This is me indulging in a guilty pleasure, so please  
> Let me have this one  
> BITTE

**What did one wave say to the other? Nice to SEA you again!**

 

Percy enjoyed watching the world pass by quietly through the reflections on his aquarium. People would drive by, unaware of the teen clicking, clicking his pen as he observed. Sometimes he'd see families walking, or someone dancing, thinking they were alone in the world. It made him happy to see it, it reminded him of what he was fighting for, why he had to become stronger as Ladybug, even if the world wasn't always the kindest to him.

 

Nico was standing in the doorway, eyebrows furrowed as if he was looking for something, but couldn't find it. Percy wondered why he had that look so often around him, but never around anyone else. He wondered if it had anything to do with the fact that Nico wasn't used to living with people, not after Bianca. Or maybe he suspected that Percy was Ladybug, and it was his fault he didn't protect her like Chat asked him too, and like Nico had minutes before Chat.

 

Percy pulled his knees into his chest and focused back on the happy, happy reflections. He couldn't afford to think like that, he couldn't lose his head like that or they might have another incident.

 

“Perce,” Nico finally spoke, “You've been staring at that fish tank for hours. You never sit still this long and Sally's worried.” With that, Nico left. Percy let out a soft sigh, and got up to reassure his mom that he was okay, and ask her if she could make blue pancakes for dinner.

 

~

 

Percy found himself in front of the fishtank again, fidget cube in hand. He played with it almost violently while he watched and waited. Nico had up and left the house again, not saying a single word to anyone, and Percy was worried. He had already told Sally that he was going to wait for Nico, and she had nodded and gone to bed. That was almost eight hours ago.

 

He got up to pace again, still watching through the reflection, still waiting. The reflection turned a soft orange with rose red highlights as the sun began to peek over the mountains. Percy was about to call for Tikki when he noticed the shadow forming and walking closer. It walked slowly, like it was dreading where it went, and then stopped right at the door. 

 

Percy threw open the door, “Neeks! Where did you go? Narnia?”

 

“Nah, I went to hell,” came the dry response as Nico tried to duck away from the incoming hug, unsuccessfully.

 

“Dude, if I knew you were going to Walmart I would've come along. We're low on blue food dye again,” Percy laughed softly, relieved to see Nico back and in one piece, “But seriously, where did you go?”

 

“Jason's,” Nico said, “like always. Stop panicking every time I leave.”

 

“You know I can't do that,” Percy said, ruffling his hair a little (which earned him a glare saltier than the Dead Sea), “I have to look after you. You're almost family, and you're two years younger.”

 

Nico kicked his shin.

 

Percy laughed again and let him go, “Alright, alright I get it Mr. Lord of Darkness, you're done with the hugs and the affection.” 

 

A bedroom door creaked open, and Sally walked out, “Is he home yet?” She didn't wait for a response, because as soon as she said this she saw Nico and  _ she _ pulled him into a hug. Nico was decidedly less violent about it, even going so far as to hug back. Percy was always a little bit jealous of how his mom got treated by Nico, but he figured it was because Sally reminded him of his own mother, or maybe because he had been raised to be polite. 

 

But mostly Percy was happy. Nico rarely relaxed, and it was even rarer for him to let people be affectionate towards him. Every time he saw Nico relaxing in someone's arms it gave him hope, hope that he could still find a way to heal what he'd broken.

 

~

 

Percy hated school, and school  **_really_ ** hated him. Today they were taking a field trip to his favourite place in the entire world— the aquarium. He wasn't sure what he loved most about the place; maybe it was the interactive exhibits that Annabeth would roll her eyes at, maybe it was the sheer beauty of all those marine animals swimming around, maybe it was because the only memory he had left of his dad was at an aquarium, or maybe it was because of Nico's face. Nico always managed to separate from the group at the glow-in-the-dark jellyfish exhibit. He wouldn't move a muscle, he'd just stand there and stare with his mouth slightly open and a tiny smile on his face. He was so oblivious when he was there that Percy had managed to take a really nice photo of it to save as his phone’s background.

 

Nico still didn't know about that.

 

But this was a school trip, not a group of friends going out. And school plus Percy was never, ever a good combination. And his teachers all knew it. Mrs. Dodds was glaring Percy down the entire time they were in the shark exhibit after the last time they'd been here. Percy may or may not have accidentally sent them all for a refreshing swim…

 

But they made it through all that just fine.

 

No, everything was fine right up until the jellyfish exhibit, when he'd accidentally knocked Clarisse into the wall behind them in his excitement to try and poke the glass where one of the jellyfish was. 

 

Naturally, the wall broke, and just below on the other side was the stupid freaking shark exhibit. 

 

“ **_JACKSON_ ** ! GO BACK TO THE BUS AND CLEAN IT WHILE THE REST OF THE CLASS FINISHES THEIR TOUR. YOU'RE NOT COMING ALONG  _ ANY _ MORE FIELD TRIPS!” Mrs. Dodds shrieked, sounding a lot like a Banshee and Satan had a child, and she was the result. 

 

He had just left to do just that when there was a very, very loud explosion from inside the aquarium. He knew immediately that if there was an explosion, there was almost certainly an Akuma attack.

 

“Tikki, spots on!”


	2. Chapter 2

**Why did the Atlantic hit the Pacific? He didn’t SEA her there!**

 

Percy once spent an entire week listening to one song by Blind Fool Love (it was Vampiro) because he knew it was Nico’s favourite and he wanted to see if it would cheer him up if Percy sang it randomly. Instead he just got a dead look and the crushing words, “Your Italian is worse than Smelly Gabe’s breath,” before turning around and walking away.

 

Which is why Percy was holed up under his fish blanket trying his best to learn Italian through Duolingo when Annabeth decided to come over. “Hey, Seaweed brai— Percy, what are you doing?” Annabeth yanked the blanket off of him, revealing a pile of barely legible notes and cheetos tangled up in his headphone cords.

 

“I CAN EXPLAIN!” Percy shouted, a little too loudly. Nico poked his head through the door with some Italian snack in hand.

 

“What did Percy do now?” Nico asked, a hint of amusement in his quiet voice.

 

“I don’t know, but it looks like he was studying.  _ Studying _ ,” Annabeth said, squinting at him. She picked the laptop off of Percy’s lap and squinted extra hard, “He was! He was studying Italian!”

 

“Annabeth shush! That was supposed to be a surpri— “

 

Nico threw his head back and laughed so hard he snorted. Percy’s mouth dropped and Annabeth crossed her arms, “And, Percy, my  _ darling _ boyfriend, what on earth are you doing studying Italian?”

 

“It’s uhm, for a school project?” Percy knew he was screwed, Annabeth never called him Darling unless he was in deep shit. He didn’t understand what she was annoyed about, though. It wasn’t like he was doing anything like cheating, he was just trying to cheer Nico up. 

 

“Uh-huh. Right. What project was that again? For which class?” Annabeth rested all her weight on her left foot, making it clear that she knew Percy wasn’t really working on a school project. He gulped.

 

“The one where the teacher wants me to do something cool, but forget that, let’s go grab some ice-cream?” Percy was panicking, and Annabeth must have been feeling generous because she grabbed his hand and led him out the door to the nearest ice-cream parlour. 

 

~

 

“Hey, Annabeth?”

 

“Yeah?”

 

“What do you think Nico’s favourite ice-cream flavour is? I feel bad for just leaving him back there like that…”

 

“Chocolate, now shut up and pretend like this is a real date. Preferably one where you stop worrying so much about your housemate.”

 

Percy just shut his mouth and made a mental note to grab a pint of chocolate for Nico once Annabeth had gone. He felt a little bit bad for always worrying about Nico, even when Annabeth was around, but it wasn’t like he could stop worrying about him. Nico always had a melancholy air around him, like he was trapped in a past that hadn’t been kind to him. And Percy knew it was his fault. 

 

_ “Protect her! Promise me, Promise me you’ll protect her.” It was Nico. _

 

_ “I promise.” His response and then… _

 

_ The screaming, the hand slipping out of his grasp, the thud… the body lying broken on the ground while an akumatized version of Piper threw more things at him. The boy staring up at him with broken eyes that had been so full of excitement just minutes before, the cold stare of Chat ten minutes later, the weight of guilt crashing over him… _

 

“Percy? Earth to Percy? Oi!” Annabeth smacked his arm lightly, snapping him out of it. He nervously laughed and rubbed the back of his neck.

 

“Sorry Annabeth,” he muttered, poking his blue raspberry ice-cream dejectedly. She sighed, grabbed her cone and just left, clearly tired of Percy’s inability to focus on her. He couldn’t really blame her, he knew she deserved better than him. He wondered why she even tried. He just bought Nico a pint of chocolate ice-cream and stumbled home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As you can see, Percy is oblivious to his own feelings and Percabeth is falling apart because Annabeth is NOT oblivious. And also sick of his shit.


	3. Chapter 3

**I didn't understand the question, can you please be more PACIFIC?**

 

Percy opened the door quietly in case his Nico was napping. It was only because of this quietness that he heard it— a soft sob like an angel being broken, like shards of glass falling to the floor. 

 

He quickly opened the door to Nico’s room, and wrapped his arms around the shaking lump under the blankets. “Neeks, Neeks what's wrong? What happened?” his voice shook with worry and guilt, the state of the stained glass window was his fault— he had broken him. It was all his fault.

 

“Bianca… Bianca wants me to forgive, però non posso… non posso, voglio perdonare… però non posso,” Nico continued mumbling the same phrase that Percy didn't understand. He got the però (it meant but), and he could guess at perdonare, but he really didn't know. He figured he should just respond to the English bit.

 

“Neeks, I don't think she expects you to forgive right away,” Percy said, softly, “And I know Ladybug won't forgive himself, but she might be worried about what it's doing to you. You're always angry, Neeks, always sad. I know she was the light, but I also know she doesn't want you to stay broken.”

 

Nico nodded, the effects of his dream wearing off to where he'd at least stopped sobbing. He still didn't show his face, and Percy could understand why. It was embarrassing to cry like that at all, especially in front of someone else.

 

“Do you want me to give you a few minutes? I can put the ice-cream in the freezer for you so it doesn't melt,” Percy suggested, rubbing what he assumed was Nico's back. 

 

Rather than the expected affirmative grunt, Nico poked his head out, held out a hand, and said, “Ice-cream. Now. And don't you fucking leave.”

 

Percy handed him the ice-cream. He couldn't say no if he wanted to, not with that tear stained face or the soft pouting lips, and definitely not with those demanding dark (albeit red and puffy) eyes. Nico was just too  _ Nico _ for Percy to refuse. 

 

“You seem pretty confident in how Ladybug feels about this whole thing,” Nico said, shoving a spoonful of slightly melted chocolatey goodness into his mouth, “how do you know he hasn't just forgotten about it.”

 

“I can't tell you who he is, but let's just say I know the guy pretty well. He remembers, and it haunts him to this day,” Percy said, looking over to Nico's skull clock, deep into its reflection, “He's doing everything he can to make up for it, even though he knows nothing can ever fix what he did.” Nico hummed, eyes darkening a moment as puzzle pieces clicked in his brain, then his gaze softened.

 

“It was an accident, right?” Nico’s voice wavered ever so slightly, “Bianca… In my dream she said she let go first, because they were both going to fall, so was it…?”

 

Percy had tormented himself so much that he'd nearly forgotten that she had actually done just that, because they were falling, because Percy didn't have the strength, “Yeah, it was an accident. He didn't mean for it to happen, he tried. I mean, he failed, but I promise you he did his best.”

 

Nico looked in Percy’s watery eyes, took a shaky breath, and nodded. He didn't have to forgive immediately, but he couldn't hold a grudge forever.

 

~

 

Percy woke up to death metal screeching, and grumpy Italian muttering. He shot up with a not-so-manly squeak and tried to remember how on Earth he'd gotten there. 

 

“Chill, Perce. It's just my alarm. Now get out of my room,” Nico grumbled with a rather dead look. Percy nodded, vaguely remembering there being ice-cream and a really long and painful discussion about the past. After that they decided to watch a cartoon. Percy figured he must have fallen asleep during the cartoon.

 

He scuttled back to his room, and switched to his Blue Öyster Cult shirt (Nico wasn't the only one who wore band t-shirts) and a fresh pair of jeans before hurrying downstairs to make coffee. Percy didn't really drink a lot of coffee, and neither did Sally, but Nico went through an entire pot in the mornings. He turned to make pancakes (blue, of course), humming 'Don’t Fear (the Reaper)’ as he mixed the ingredients together.

 

He didn't realise he'd started singing until Nico quietly sang along, then turned to comment, “You realize that song is about a guy trying to convince his lover to commit suicide with him, right?”

 

“I prefer not to think about it too hard,” Percy said, biting his lip. There was a reason Nico had collected nicknames like Deathboy and the Ghost King. Not only did he see and talk to dead people, but anytime something was about death he would point it out with that same blank face. It gave most people the creeps, but Percy didn't usually mind it.

 

“I made coffee,” Percy announced, sliding the last pancake onto the plate, “and breakfast.”

 

Nico glanced at the table, and muttered, “Oh thank the gods you didn't make blue eggs to go along with it.” Percy chuckled at him, glad to hear a little bite in his words this early in the morning. His Nico was in a good mood, yesterday must have been the catharsis he'd desperately needed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so the AU will become a little bit more prominent soon. I just felt the need to establish other stuff first, you know  
> Like what's going on through Nico's head, what they're relationship is currently like, more on the Bianca thing, you know
> 
> Important stuff.
> 
> Hopefully I'll be able to put some fluff in there soonish, but I am not promising anything.
> 
> Also, yes it had to be Blue Öyster Cult for multiple reasons  
> 1) Blue  
> 2) Öyster  
> 3) that song just needed to be mentioned because I love it and I feel like Percy would sing it at Nico randomly.


	4. Chapter 4

**Why didn't the ocean panic when it saw the storm coming? Because everything SEAmed fine!**

 

Percy and Nico were on their way back from school when it happened— an akuma attack. This time, Percy was relieved to note, it wasn't a classmate or a friend. In fact, it was the scary Vice Principal from Nico's last school. Percy could tell because of his heterochromatic blue and brown eyes, the long, hawkish face beneath the Akuma mask, and the deadly way he moved.

 

Percy barely had time to push Nico out of the way before a footlong spike was firmly stuck in the wall where Nico had been moments before. 

 

“Shit, shit, shit. Neeks, I'm gonna take you home, and you're going to stay there where you're safe until Chat and Ladybug take care of this,” Percy said, already having picked up Nico from the ground and moving towards Sally's Sweet Shoppe, where they lived. 

 

Nico tried to protest, but another spike went whistling through the air, almost impaling them both. He knew Percy wasn't going to back down on this, since Percy didn't know his other identity. 

 

~

 

“Stay,” Percy insisted once they got there, and then he ran off to become Ladybug. This time, he would not fail. This time he would protect. He had to.

 

He ran straight for the manticore, magic yoyo whirring as it circled and he looked for an opening. He glared down the Akuma victim, and he glared right back. 

 

It was only when Chat snuck up behind the Akuma that Percy could strike, aiming for the Akuma’s hand while Chat silently pounced, using his Cataclysm on the Akuma's tail, which was the source of the footlong death spikes.

 

Wordlessly as always, Chat grabbed the medal pinned to the Akuma's jacket and threw it at Percy. Percy grabbed it and purified it quickly. 

 

He expected Chat to silently vanish back into the sunset like usual. He expected the same cold look of recognition, the same chilly face as grave as death. He did not, however, expect Chat to approach him. His gaze was still cold, but it was ever so slightly warmer.

 

“I've decided,” Chat said, “I'm going to give you a second chance. But if you ever let an innocent die again I will not be so forgiving.”

 

Percy's jaw dropped. He had almost forgotten what Chat sounded like when he talked, the way his words curled around each other, the roughness to his voice, and the guarded tone.

 

He pulled himself together and nodded, too flabbergasted to reply with words. Chat nodded curtly, then slipped off into the city. Percy stood there a moment longer, then hurried home to check on Nico.

 

~

 

“I thought this was NAUT your thing,” Percy exclaimed when he found Nico at the beach, “I mean, you always said it just wasn't your type of entertainment.”

 

If looks could kill, the salty glare Percy received would have been fatal at best. “Shut up, Jackson.”

 

Percy blinked, Nico never called him Jackson unless something was really, really bothering him, “Woah, what's wrong? Did something happen? Who do I need to drown far, far out to sea?”

 

“No one,” Nico muttered, “A meno che tu non voglia morire.” Percy did his best to figure out what Nico said, but even three weeks of daily lessons didn't seem to help him translate. 

 

“I have no idea what you just said.”

 

“That's why I said it in Italian.”

 

“You're horrible.”

 

“Not as horrible as your ocean puns. Or Finding Nemo references.”

 

Percy chuckled, “You win, you win. But really man, what's eating you?”

 

Nico sighed softly, “It's just… the person I like… they already have someone. And I'm happy for them and all, but… gods I sound like a schoolgirl.”

 

Percy’s gaze softened, “Whoever she is, if she can't see how cool of a guy you are she doesn't deserve you anyway. I mean, sure you are sometimes a little terrifying, but you're also pretty nice when you want to be.”

 

Nico gave Percy an odd look, like he wanted to say something but wasn't sure how to say it. Percy decided to continue, “Remember that quiet girl Juleka? You sat next to her every day and encouraged her to talk to Rose. And remember that time you pushed that little kid out of the way, even though it meant you got hit? You saved his life. You might look scary, but I know you're a total softie. And anyone who can't see that… Well, they don't deserve you.”

 

Nico blushed ever so slightly, eyes wide and mouth slightly open, but then he closed his face off and said, “Perseus Jackson, you are a complete idiot.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so I hope you caught the hint about Chat's identity.  
> Also, yes, Percy is really that oblivious. For now, at least.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 99% fluff

**What do you call an angry ocean? SEAthing!**

 

Percy sat with his back pressed against his closet wall, head resting there as he raised his hand to knock against it thrice. He heard shuffling, a scraping sound like spikes dragging down the wall, and then the response of two knocks. 

 

“Annabeth is mad at me,” Percy said, without much hesitation. He knew what happened in the closet stayed in the closet. No matter what.

 

“What? Why?” came the soft reply, and Percy could almost see him turning his cheek to the wall with his brows furrowed in concern.

 

“She thinks I like someone who isn't her.”

 

“Do you?”

 

The question bounced around in Percy’s head, taking him by surprise. The automatic answer should be no, but for some reason it just didn't seem right. But if he said yes, he would feel weird about that too. 

 

“I don't know,” his voice cracked, and suddenly he was bawling, “I don't know, Neeks. I think I do, but I don't know how to be sure. I don't know how to tell anymore, the spark between Annabeth and I… it died out a while ago, and I mean, we both know it but… I just don't know.” 

 

On the other side of the wall, a forehead was pressed against it, and a gentle voice whispered, “Sleepover night?”

 

Percy nodded, but even though Nico couldn't see it he grabbed his sleeping bag and some chips anyway.

 

They'd done this for as many years as Nico had lived there. It was Percy’s idea, originally. Nico had just moved in after Bianca had left him alone in this world, and he was understandably lonely. So on Saturdays and particularly rough days Percy would either bring his sleeping bag to Nico’s room or vice versa. They'd watch horrible movies, eat junk food, tell bad jokes, anything that might cheer them up.

 

It took him a total of three minutes to get over there with the required items, and that included the minute-and-a-half Sally took to pile extra blue gummy worms into his arms. She of course knew the reason for the sleepovers, even if she didn't always know what had caused it.

 

Nico appreciated Sally. 

 

Percy hadn't come out of his place in the closet when Nico opened the door. He hadn't expected him to. He set the snacks in the middle of the ground and spread out his sleeping bag on the floor. 

 

“Come on, Perce. You can't hide in there forever,” Nico said, reaching in to help him out. Percy accepted his hand, and they were soon sat around the piles of gummy worms, Pringles, and Pan di Stelle. 

 

“Godzilla?” Percy asked, nibbling on his gummy worm. Nico nodded and shoved the dusty VHS tape in. They'd watch it on dvd, but something about VHS gave it extra nostalgia. 

 

Nico settled down again, this time in Percy's lap. They'd done this ever since they were kids, it was comfortable for both of them, even if it only happened in this specific circumstance. It worked out well for them, no matter who was hurting. Percy liked to hold people, and despite all his usual protesting Nico preferred to  _ be _ held. 

 

“Hey, Neeks?” Percy’s voice sounded more like his usual self.

 

“Yeah?” Nico looked up at him, head slightly tilted.

 

“Thanks,” Percy smiled softly, already feeling better.

 

~

 

They made it halfway through the movie before the pillow fight began. Percy grabbed his Nemo plushie and whacked Nico’s head (gently).

 

“Jackson, you're dead!” Nico grinned evilly, rolling out of the way of Percy's next blow and grabbing the pillow off of Percy's bed. He ran at a slight angle, making it look like he wasn't going to hit Percy, but turned at the last second.

 

Unfortunately Percy had seen him do this often enough to already be rolling out of his way. Nico had expected this, and leapt to where Percy was rolling to, tackling his back just as he'd started to get up.

 

With Percy on the ground, Nico repeatedly bashed Percy's head with the pillow until they were both laughing too hard to breathe. 

 

Nico slid off his back and let himself lay down beside Percy. “I win,” he said, smirking a little.

 

Percy rolled so he was lying on his back, “You sure did.” Percy reached over and ruffled Nico’s hair, a fond smile playing on his lips like laughing bells on a flowery hill. But Nico had fallen dead asleep by that point. 

 

Percy scooped him up, and set him on the bed before sitting next to him and pulling the covers over them both. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I didn't intend for this to be so fluffy, so expect me to tear some characters apart soon. 


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Under the guise of fun, a storm brews.
> 
> AKA There's a 99% chance of shitstorm coming, and these beans are right in its path.

**Why was the Ocean arrested? It was caught smoking seaweed.**

 

About a week later, Annabeth and Percy broke up. Annabeth had finally told Percy that she had fallen in love with her closest friend and strongest ally, Reyna. Percy had been surprised, but the breakup wasn't bad. Percy still felt upset, of course, but he only felt that way because he felt empty. He fidgeted with a pile of beads, piling one on top of the other, then knocking them over, sorting them by colour, and then in patterns. All the while his eyes were staring yet again into that reflection on the fishtank. He didn’t know how long he sat there, he didn’t really care. All he knew is that at some point Nico dragged him to the Italian’s room.

 

Once there, Percy snapped back into reality. The Finding Nemo sleeping bag Percy owned was already set up in one corner of Nico’s room, and next to it there was a large pile of blue sweets. He glanced behind him with a tilted head, “I’m not upset, you know.”

 

“Dude, Reyna already told me you and Annabeth broke up. So shut up, sit down, and stuff your face. We’ll play Mario Kart, Assassin’s Creed, and probably some dumb zombie shooter until you stop looking as hollow as the void where my soul should be,” Nico replied, crossing his arms and scowling. The crinkle of his nose, and the pout of those soft lips was enough for Percy to immediately cave. How could anyone ever deny him?

 

“Fine, but I call Rosalina.”

  
“You know I like King Boo better anyways.”

 

Percy grinned and sat. Nico settled into his lap with the same casual insistence as a kitten. Percy didn’t mind, though, since Nico was a good deal shorter than him. This meant they could both see the screen well enough, and jostling each-others Wii remotes was half the fun of playing together. 

 

“Loser has to do a dare!” Percy declared, right off the bat.

 

“And remove a piece of clothing,” Nico added, smirking. Percy locked eyes with him and grinned even wider.

 

“You’re s o on!”

 

~

 

Nico fought mean, and Percy had almost forgotten how competitive the teen could get while playing the game. Percy was already down to a sock and his boxers, whereas that bastard Nico had just barely taken off his bomber jacket. “What’s my dare then, Jackson?” he asked, throwing the jacket at Percy’s face.

 

Percy chucked it onto the bed, and said, “I dare you to do the next round shirtless.”

 

“Uhm… Why?”

 

“Because I’m practically naked over here, and you’ve only taken off your socks and your jacket!” 

 

Nico cackled at that, then went ahead and removed the shirt. Percy wasn’t expecting that. Every time that they’d played these kinds of games, Nico always managed to elude having to take off his shirt. Even at the pool Nico would wear a shirt. 

 

What he expected even less were the scars. It looked like he’d been on the front lines of a war, jagged lines of white zigzagged down just about every part of his torso, and there was one that looked like someone had splattered paint on him and it had scarred. Nico turned around to put his shirt next to his jacket, revealing even more scars down his back and two beautiful black angel wing tattoos extending from his shoulder and down and down until the very tips of the wings dipped just below the hem of his jeans.

 

“Neeks?” Percy’s voice was high and shaky, his face was one of both awe and concern. Nico turned and smiled bitterly.

 

“You were curious, right?” Nico whispered, “Now you’re even more curious.”

 

Percy nodded, and walked over to gently touch one of the scars, but Nico shook his head and shied away. Percy could tell he was trying to steel himself for the inevitable questions, so he asked the gentlest one he could think of that would at least keep his mind from spinning in too many circles. “Are they… is what caused them why your father took you from your uncle’s and sent you here?”

 

Nico nodded, and Percy decided it was enough. If Nico  _ wanted _ to talk, he  _ would _ . But he almost always prefered to quietly contemplate the world around him, and hardly ever spoke out loud about the things that bothered him. Now Percy wondered if part of that had come about as a survival technique. 

 

“Nice tattoo,” Percy said with the elegance of a drunken giraffe in a China shop. Fortunately Nico took it as a sign Percy wasn’t going to ask any more questions and just let out a soft chuckle. For as frustrating as he found Percy, he couldn’t help but be fond of the goofy person that he had let into his life. 

 

“I think I might get another one, but I don’t know what. I was thinking a skull over my shoulder, what do you think?”

 

“God yes,” Percy breathed, a soft blush dusting his cheeks like the rosy dawn. Nico would analyze that later, when he was alone with the shadows. For now he just grinned, and elbowed Percy playfully. 

 

“You know, this is the best way to spend a Friday night,” Percy said, ruffling his hair fondly. Nico would normally pretend to hate that, but for right now he felt weirdly comfortable. Percy had stopped staring at his scars, and instead was focusing on just petting the soft black hair he couldn’t ever quite tame and inhaling blue snacks.

 

“If you keep petting me like that I’ll fall asleep on you,” Nico threatened, eyes slowly closing. Percy hummed, and kept on petting him until they’d both fallen asleep, curled up so cutely that Sally couldn’t help but snap a few pictures of them. Naturally she forwarded them to Hazel, who made the mistake of forwarding it to one of her school friends.

 

But they wouldn’t know about that until Monday.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH I'm sorry!   
> This was supposed to come out ages ago jfc  
> But there was a wedding on Sunday, and I was a bridesmaid so I definitely had to go, and then on Monday my friends came and kidnapped me and we tore the town apart, and on Tuesday I was so tired I basically slept all day, and THEN TODAY MY COMPUTER HAD A FRIGGIN VIRUS SO I HAD TO COMPLETELY REINSTALL WINDOWS BUT WHAT THE FUCK EVER AMIRIGHT


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's Monday   
> Solangelo is addressed  
> And Percy admits his feelings to someone  
> Chat's identity may as well be revealed to you guys, it gets painfully obvious. 
> 
> I would've wrote the weekend, but who needs that kind of sickening fluff and mutual pining?

**SEAriously?!**

  
  


Monday was looming over the unsuspecting pair, reaching its dawn coloured fingers around their necks as they bantered in the kitchen. Hazel watched with a fond smile, texting one of her new friends (Leo) about how cute the two were being. Leo responded as quickly as he could, which made Hazel light up just as bright as she did whenever Frank texted her. 

 

“Hazel! Tell Percy to stop dyeing the coffee blue for me! I refuse to speak to him until he apologizes and gives me that Almond Joy Creamer shit,” Nico yelled, looking to his sister for backup. She giggled unhelpfully and winked at him.

 

Percy, for his part, whined, “Neeeeeks! Come on, you know it looks cool once you put milk in iiiiit!”

 

Nico grumpily ignored him, mumbling something about Coffee being sacred, and blue blasphemy until Sally flicked all three of their foreheads.

 

“Get your butts to school, or so help me I will rip you all a new one,” Sally huffed, crossing her arms. The three nodded and headed out, not wanting to risk the wrath of an angry, pregnant mom.

 

~

 

Everyone in class was buzzing about something, casting strange glances at Percy as he sat down. He turned to Annabeth to ask what was going on, since she was still one of his closest friends. “Hazel sent us a really cute picture,” she said, frowning lightly in a way that Percy used to love, “But Thalia had some of her friends over and… they spread it… everywhere.”

 

“Cute picture? Ooh! Can I see, can I see?” Percy asked, getting excited. Annabeth sighed to herself.

 

“Someone posted it up in the cafeteria. We keep pulling it down, but every time I look a new copy is in its place.”

 

Percy excitedly ran to the cafeteria, not understanding why Annabeth would sound so upset by a cute picture. And then he saw it. He froze, face going hurt then hard. He was fine with the photo, but he knew someone else who wouldn't be.

 

He ripped it down and tore it to shreds before hurrying to go find Nico.

 

~

 

Percy had been searching for an hour, the first bell had rung, and the second bell was only a half hour away. Percy had checked the classroom discreetly, but Nico wasn't there. 

 

Suddenly there was a loud crash, followed by screaming. Percy cursed, and ducked into the janitor's closet to transform before running in the direction of the crash.

 

The person standing in front of the board was dressed like a friggin’ plague doctor, and it creeped Percy the hell out. Of course, Chat didn't seem at all phased by it. He didn't get phased by much. 

 

“Love is a disease, it spreads so fast, and it destroys us all. Perseus Jackson, you will feel that pain!” the plague doctor announced, getting up to glare right at Percy, and hard.

 

“I have been given the power to know who you are beneath that pathetic mask of lies, Jackson, and don't think for a second I'll forgive you!” 

 

Percy's blood ran cold, and he froze in place. He couldn't see who it was under the mask, but he could guess based on those words. “Neeks, I… I didn't put that picture there, you know I'd never do something like that to you. I even took it down, but I guess whoever's behind this has more than one copy…”

 

Chat gave him a funny look, “That… isn't Nico.” Percy stared at him in disbelief.

 

“Yeah, I'm pretty sure it is. Who else would be  _ that _ pissed seeing that picture?” Percy huffed, crossing his arms. Doctor Creepy laughed at him, voice booming eerily through the cafeteria.

 

“Who else,” there was a thick Texan accent there, “who else but the person who really loves him?”

 

The doctor opened his medical textbook, which started oozing a flower scented purple miasma. Percy and Chat started coughing, but only Percy crumpled up in agony. Chat, weirdly, didn't seem to be experiencing any pain.

 

“Will! Stop this now!” Chat shouted, lunging for the book. Will simply stepped out of the way. 

 

“No, Sunshine. Not until he either proves he loves you half as much as I do or he dies,” his voice was colder than it should be. It was like someone else was speaking, and not Nico’s best friend that he had admittedly dated for a while until they both had agreed they were better as friends.

 

But apparently Will hadn't let go. 

 

“You're jealous. You think getting rid of him will somehow win you back your ex. But you're wrong. Will, we both agreed that so long as I still had feelings for Jackson we would work best as friends. You said you understood, you said you agreed, but here you are, trying to hurt someone who makes me happy.”

 

“Because Hawkmoth says that if I kill him, get his Miraculous and yours, then you will see only me, and you will be mine.”

 

“He can't promise you my heart, because my heart isn't his to give,” the miasma began to weaken, “and this isn't going to make me want to give it to you. Don't hurt the people I care about just because you're jealous. Especially when Percy and I aren't even dating. We live together, and you know about the sleepovers. We just fell asleep on each other, that's all. And even if that wasn't all, it is not your place to lash out at him.”

 

Nico used that moment to wrench the book out of his hands and tear it in two. Realizing that Percy had managed to faint, he quickly grabbed the magic yoyo and de-evilized the akuma himself. When he turned back to inspect the damage, Percy had detransformed and Will had fainted. 

 

~

 

When Percy woke up in the infirmary, he wasn't sure what happened. When he saw Will in the cot next to his, holding his head he remembered.

 

“Hey man, how ya doing?” Percy asked, concern in his voice.

 

“Head hurts,” he mumbled, “what happened? I remember getting to school but…”

 

“Akumatized,” Percy said, “there was a picture of Nico and I taking a nap together and… well…”

 

Percy didn't have to finish, Will winced and looked down. “And here I was, teasing Neeks for feeling jealous while we had dated.”

 

“Hey, uhm, you know Nico and I… we aren't together. I mean, don't get me wrong, I'd be lucky if he liked me like that, but I'm pretty sure he doesn't,” Percy assured him, rubbing the back of his neck, “I mean, Nico is like… Well, maybe not a god, but totally an angel! He's really, really cute and he's sweet once you know him. He's also really fun, and his sense of humour is just… wow. He's just wow. But I already fucked up any chance I had with him, so…”

 

“That's what you think. You should, you should tell him.”

 

Then the door creaked open, “He doesn't have to.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so I seriously wasn't going to update while on vacation, but my grandparents were away all day, and I DO have signal up here so...
> 
> Also, fyi, this entire thing has been written on my phone so you guys best appreciate my dedication. My phone's keyboard is annoying.
> 
> And if anyone is reading Miraculously in Love, I apologize. I don't know when that's going to be updated. I was writing that one on my laptop, but said laptop got a virus and I had to wipe e v e r y t h i n g. I'm so pissed I don't even want to look at the fic and try to piece it back together u g h.


	8. Chapter 8

**This is Naut my day! Quoth the ocean.**

 

The walk home from school? It was awkward to say the least. Nico kept opening and closing his mouth, trying to figure out what to say, while Percy just blurted out whatever awful, punny jokes came to his head. 

 

Finally, Nico cracked, “Percy I swear— stop with the puns already! I'm not rejecting you, so calm down. It's impossible to talk things over with you while you're so jittery.”

 

Percy finally shut up and just nodded his head. He figured the ‘not-rejecting’ bit was a good sign, even if he was still extremely nervous. They entered the house and settled down on Percy’s bed, smiling shyly at each other for a minute.

 

“So, when were you going to tell me you were bi?” Nico asked, trying to go for a joking tone, but Percy actually took the question seriously.

 

“I only recently figured it out, I mean Chris Hemsworth is hot as hell, but I thought that stuff like that was just a universal fact. And sure sometimes I found myself… appreciating… the swim team, but I mean, I never really thought too hard on it,” Percy played with his hands as he spoke, tracing the little fishy doodles he’d put on them in math.

 

“Hmm… Chris Hemsworth is pretty hot, but I kinda liked Chris Evans better,” Nico hummed, still hoping to lighten the mood a little.

 

“Captain America?” Percy asked, tilting his head, “Doesn’t he kind of remind you of Jason, though?”

 

“I had a crush on Jason for a while, too,” Nico said, shrugging, “Kinda hard not to when he’s a good guy and didn’t freak out when he found out I was gay. Not that I wanted him to know I was about as straight as a cooked noodle, but…”

 

Percy nodded, he’d been told the tale a few months ago, after he’d caught Nico practically drooling over Andy Biersack (who, apparently, was the lead singer for one of the bands that Nico liked to listen to) and gently asked for an explanation. “Of course you had a thing for Superman,” Percy said, chuckling to himself, “That’s practically a universal thing. Except for lesbians, I guess. But anyone who’s at all into guys even on a theoretical level has had a thing for Sparky at one point or another,” Percy didn’t even bother worrying that he’d practically admitted to finding Jason attractive in both physical regards and personality wise. 

 

“Right? Just like a certain swimmer boy I know,” Nico said, nudging him a little. There were entire paragraphs in his eyes that Percy didn’t know how to decipher. He wanted to, but after Bianca there was a large part of Nico that was closed off to the entire world, even those closest to him. He knew more about the boy than most did, but there were still the shadows of deep secrets and thoughts that he couldn’t speak trying to make themselves known.

 

“Are you saying you have a thing for me?” Percy asked, finally approaching the traffic-cone orange elephant in the room as cautiously as a sensible driver might. 

 

“I am. But don’t get your hopes up just yet, I… I know you’re Ladybug. And I know you didn’t mean to let her die, but she still died. I haven’t forgiven you. Maybe I will in time, but right now I can’t kiss you or anything because I’m still angry,” Nico’s honest words hurt worse than a thousand lies. 

 

“And I know you’re trying to fix it. Trying to fix me, but you can’t. And I won’t forgive you until you stop trying to fix me. A part of me is gone, Perce, and you had the audacity to fall for me only after you started trying. So stop trying, and instead learn to love me for who I am right now, the me  _ you _ helped caused, even if by accident. And if you can still love me without trying to expel my shadows, then maybe I will be able to forgive you, and let myself love you,” Nico continued, knowing he didn’t necessarily make logical sense, but damn it that’s what he wanted. 

 

Percy nodded, looking down and trying to keep the tears out of his eyes. It hurt even worse, knowing that Nico had a point. He was trying to fix Nico, but the truth is the whole Nico he had met back then had annoyed him. He was too happy, too curious, too naive. And yet once he was broken he fell for him. 

 

Maybe he fell in love with trying to fix him.

 

Maybe he should stop and see just how real his feelings were, not for his sake, but for Nico’s. Maybe he couldn’t fix him, maybe he shouldn’t, maybe he should just stay beside him instead and let him figure his own damn life out. The boy he knew had died with his sister. And the experience changed Nico completely.

 

And, as cruel as it was, Percy liked him much better now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did you really think they were ready to get together?
> 
> Also, this was supposed to come out two days ago but I was exhausted from my Washington trip and then today I got distracted by watching Captain America Civil War and also the second Thor movie.
> 
> BTW Black Widow is super attractive and I have a giant ass crush on her because WOW


End file.
